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Saturday, 14 February 2015
Thursday, 8 January 2015
What is this Change we're talking about?
(Please read till the last line in order to get what the article is about.)
Moratuwa 08.01.15 / 9:30 am
The polling station is the Church Hall near our home. I'm
standing in a queue. I've voted before and gone with my parents to vote when I
was much younger but I've never seen a queue here.
Colombo 07.01.15 / 12 hours before..
I'm in a tuk on my way home. Today is a weird day, I've
been in a total of 5 tuks! (Dropped my phone in one and tracked it down with
another as well)
I've managed to ask 4 of the drivers about tomorrow (8th) here
were the answers: (translated)
1. We can't live like this everyday sir. We need some change
2. "Definitely for the betel leaf. No need to lie
sir"
3. "We can't let them steal like this forever"
4. "Who are you voting for sir? I'm sorry its just that these days I'm scared. I also have children and 2 daughters at that. We do this night time job and its not very safe to speak your mind in these troubled times"
I was most interested by Driver no. 4's comment. That's ridiculous man!
I recently watched the Hobbit and it sounds like a dialogue that some Shirefolk might say when talking about the Dark Lord's spies!
I recently watched the Hobbit and it sounds like a dialogue that some Shirefolk might say when talking about the Dark Lord's spies!
What is the Change we're talking about?
THIS is the Change we're talking about!
We live in a Sri Lankan Era where the word 'politics' is a synonym for 'corruption'.
From having a Guiness record for the largest cabinet in the world (yes! a freaking guiness world record : http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-cabinet-ministers-appointed-by-a-government/) to the village thug being appointed to Provincial Council or Parliament. Save for a few, Sri Lanka probably has the least efficient and respectable set of politicians as our leaders.
What is the Change we're talking about?
THIS is the Change we're talking about!
We live in a Sri Lankan Era where the only law in practice is bribery (oh wait! that's not actually legal is it?)
The Traffic Cop who politely wishes you a goodnight if you've slipped in something to his notebook and the high level criminal who can get away scot-free if he makes sure the right calls are made and his secretary handles an efficient bank transfer. Everyone understands that the foundation of our society is power and money as opposed to law and order.
What is the change we're talking about?
THIS is the change we're talking about!
We live in a Sri Lankan Era where Good-governance and transparency is a thing of the future (I can't say 'past' since we've probably not had much of this anyway)
From unimaginable amounts of public money pocketed through commissions for projects to almost all government procedures needing some sort of influence.
From mega exploits of power which includes amending the constitution to ensure the perpetuity of the existing regime (thereby also kicking democracy out the door) to minor, trivial and ridiculous power abuses - I'm sure you and I both know what these are.
What is the change we're talking about?
THIS is the change we're talking about!
We live in a Sri Lankan Era where accountability shows an error message when typed in the dictionary (you almost thought of typing it noh?)
Amazing development projects are embarked upon with no checks of relevance and feasibility. Failed businesses continue to run towards a precipice, bleeding heavily on its way and the blood of course is of tax payers. The unchecked foreign debt accumulation from this lunacy and greed-drunkenness has doomed the destiny of the next generation of Sri Lankans.
Politicians campaigning for people's votes make statements and promises that they forget about the minute they are elected. The time has come where the fate of this economy and the Tax payers money lies in the desires and wishes of a few and their superstitions and no one can actually hold them accountable.
Politicians campaigning for people's votes make statements and promises that they forget about the minute they are elected. The time has come where the fate of this economy and the Tax payers money lies in the desires and wishes of a few and their superstitions and no one can actually hold them accountable.
When I watched "Wolf of Wall Street" I thought I was watching a political satire of Sri Lankan authorities (scary how I might have even be right if the story was taken in a very symbolic and metaphorical sense)
What is the change we're talking about?
THIS is the change we're talking about!
We live in a Sri Lankan era where freedom in most sense of the word is restricted
What do you mean? Do I have freedom of speech and expression? Ofcourse I do!
But what about the many (dead) journalists who were trying to express their views? (leaving aside the fact that those views might have even been the actual truth)
What about Lasantha Wickrematunge who's death anniversary we commemorate today?
What about Lasantha Wickrematunge who's death anniversary we commemorate today?
What about those in the North & East who are still traumatized by the war and haven't been able to rebuild their lives?
What about those in the South ESPECIALLY Hambantota - who feel alienated from their hometowns and villages through the rapid construction of empty ports, empty airports and empty convention centres?
What about Tuk Driver no. 4 who is scared to share an opinion with a passer-by??
So while standing in that queue at 9:30 in the morning on the day of the 2015 Presidential Elections of Sri Lanka I was thinking about what the Tuk Tuk Driver had said 12 hours before.
What is the change we're talking about?
THIS is the change we're talking about!
The change we're talking about can be achieved by BOTH potential Presidential candidates.
The only question is whether whoever is elected is willing to actually MAKE that Change!
This election is special because it probably will have some historic records of voter turnout (note the queue at my polling station).
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| Vote for Change? |
Those currently in power and those 'aspiring' to be in power be warned - you cannot work towards prolonging the current Sri Lankan Era because We the People (who should by right be the most powerful entity of this society) will strive for change.
What is the Change we're talking about?
A change that will not be limited to an election, a change that will ensure a NEW SRI LANKAN ERA!
Whatever candidate that you've been supporting is irrelevant. Can you deny that you want to see change? And by 'change' I mean the change that we're talking about.
What is the Change we're talking about?
A change that will not be limited to an election, a change that will ensure a NEW SRI LANKAN ERA!
Whatever candidate that you've been supporting is irrelevant. Can you deny that you want to see change? And by 'change' I mean the change that we're talking about.
"When the people fear their government there is tyranny, when the government fear its people there is Liberty"
For edutainment purposes:
Here are two of Sunil Perera's songs that perfectly highlights the issues mentioned. It's in Sinhala so apologies for those who might not understand.
1. "Pahasuwatath, Lesiyatath"
2. "Lankaawe, Apey Lankaawe"
Here are two of Sunil Perera's songs that perfectly highlights the issues mentioned. It's in Sinhala so apologies for those who might not understand.
1. "Pahasuwatath, Lesiyatath"
2. "Lankaawe, Apey Lankaawe"
Wednesday, 26 November 2014
During the 3 days I spent in Shanghai, a full 9 hour drive was spent for my visit to Yiwu Market!
What is this place again? It is the biggest commodity market in the world (http://www.yiwu-market.cn/)
You get everything, and by that I mean literally EVERYTHING! From Christmas decor to Home Supplies to ornaments to electrical items.
The prices - ridiculous! While (animatedly) talking to a shop owner he explained that the entire market runs on a whole sale model. You can take as many pictures as you want but if you want samples or want to order stuff you have to get a minimum of 150 pieces.
Imagine taking home 150 Christmas Trees to ask Mum what she would like!?!
But seriously... this place is an eye opener. Most decorations you see even in Sri Lanka are definitely purchased here. We even saw many of the famous Sri Lankan paper pulp Elephants that you get in all the tourist boutiques!
What is this place again? It is the biggest commodity market in the world (http://www.yiwu-market.cn/)
You get everything, and by that I mean literally EVERYTHING! From Christmas decor to Home Supplies to ornaments to electrical items.
The prices - ridiculous! While (animatedly) talking to a shop owner he explained that the entire market runs on a whole sale model. You can take as many pictures as you want but if you want samples or want to order stuff you have to get a minimum of 150 pieces.
Imagine taking home 150 Christmas Trees to ask Mum what she would like!?!
But seriously... this place is an eye opener. Most decorations you see even in Sri Lanka are definitely purchased here. We even saw many of the famous Sri Lankan paper pulp Elephants that you get in all the tourist boutiques!
Friday, 21 November 2014
Common Candidate Siri comments by saying "No Comment" when asked whether he would be the Next President of Sri Lanka.
I guess this echoes the thoughts of all the common people.
Does this common candidate drama serve any purpose? Ofcourse! Something for the whole country to talk about over drinks on Friday.
Well.. no, any real purpose? "No comment"
Note: If you're a Sri Lankan and you didn't get the joke or is actually thinking "Why the Common Candidate Drama" will not be serving any real purpose - please shoot yourself!
Tuesday, 15 April 2014
Came across Richard Branson's article titled "Let's End Modern Day Slavery" on LinkedIn.
Most of the comments have gone in depth into finding a million ways to define the term slavery - blaming profit driven companies as being culprits of it indirectly. But let's not go so far.
Watch the video below and tell me what comes to your mind...
"Where do you find people trapped in houses anymore?" Well if your Sri Lankan you know the answer!
A Sri Lankan should relate to this video more than possibly any other community. Why? Well I'm sorry if you haven't realized but as per the last statistic reports we have a staggering 282,000 migrant workers with 119,000 being housemaids.
It won't be fair to say that all 119k of those people are not treated well by their employers and don't have satisfactory wage structures and working conditions. However, we can't deny that most stories we hear of such jobs are not fairy-tale like. Added to that there have been those very unfortunate events which have been in the news as well.
So that proud figure of $ 7 Billion that we get through remittances of overseas workers is from Modern Day Slavery? This btw is more than 10% of our GDP and the largest source of Foreign Income to the country!
What can we do about it? I don't know - you tell me. Probably for starters -
EDUCATE: ourselves first and others around us that the concept of Modern Day Slavery is very real and something that is very directly part and parcel of what over Hundred Thousand Sri Lankans are experiencing (both migrant workers and also locally)
Also make it a point to make aware and educate those who are possibly looking to go for such a job - this maybe a domestic helper at home or someone that we may know of. Of course it is mostly a last resort to choose to be a migrant house maid, but at least we've done our part in making them aware of the possible risks.
Maybe you have some more ideas to add to it? Put in the comments box below.
Most of the comments have gone in depth into finding a million ways to define the term slavery - blaming profit driven companies as being culprits of it indirectly. But let's not go so far.
Watch the video below and tell me what comes to your mind...
"Where do you find people trapped in houses anymore?" Well if your Sri Lankan you know the answer!
A Sri Lankan should relate to this video more than possibly any other community. Why? Well I'm sorry if you haven't realized but as per the last statistic reports we have a staggering 282,000 migrant workers with 119,000 being housemaids.
It won't be fair to say that all 119k of those people are not treated well by their employers and don't have satisfactory wage structures and working conditions. However, we can't deny that most stories we hear of such jobs are not fairy-tale like. Added to that there have been those very unfortunate events which have been in the news as well.
So that proud figure of $ 7 Billion that we get through remittances of overseas workers is from Modern Day Slavery? This btw is more than 10% of our GDP and the largest source of Foreign Income to the country!
What can we do about it? I don't know - you tell me. Probably for starters -
EDUCATE: ourselves first and others around us that the concept of Modern Day Slavery is very real and something that is very directly part and parcel of what over Hundred Thousand Sri Lankans are experiencing (both migrant workers and also locally)
Also make it a point to make aware and educate those who are possibly looking to go for such a job - this maybe a domestic helper at home or someone that we may know of. Of course it is mostly a last resort to choose to be a migrant house maid, but at least we've done our part in making them aware of the possible risks.
Maybe you have some more ideas to add to it? Put in the comments box below.
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| Break the Shackles! |
Wednesday, 5 February 2014
#FacebookIs10 and I've been on it for 6!
Talk about Changing the World - who comes to your mind first?
Gandhi, Hitler, Che, Mandela? Well all of them did, in some way or at least tried, in more ways.
But Mark Zuckerberg and the team (by team I refer to every single person involved in the formulation of the idea, implementation, past and current operations of Facebook) - Well, they're on another level.
They have truly 'Changed the World' in all its totality. Maybe not on an ideological capacity as the people mentioned before but lets face it, the World will never be the same!
Think back to a world without Facebook and similar Social Media sites - it gives us the same feeling as a reverse of civilization.
Communication - all forms of it, have changed. Relationships have changed to the extent that we can actually include another form of relationship to Sociology - Direct, Indirect, Impersonal and now Social Media based! Data, Technology, Culture, Organisations, Places People, Society, yes! The WORLD HAS CHANGED!
Watch my Look Back video if you like!
You can make yours too https://www.facebook.com/lookback/
Talk about Changing the World - who comes to your mind first?
Gandhi, Hitler, Che, Mandela? Well all of them did, in some way or at least tried, in more ways.
But Mark Zuckerberg and the team (by team I refer to every single person involved in the formulation of the idea, implementation, past and current operations of Facebook) - Well, they're on another level.
They have truly 'Changed the World' in all its totality. Maybe not on an ideological capacity as the people mentioned before but lets face it, the World will never be the same!
Think back to a world without Facebook and similar Social Media sites - it gives us the same feeling as a reverse of civilization.
Communication - all forms of it, have changed. Relationships have changed to the extent that we can actually include another form of relationship to Sociology - Direct, Indirect, Impersonal and now Social Media based! Data, Technology, Culture, Organisations, Places People, Society, yes! The WORLD HAS CHANGED!
Watch my Look Back video if you like!
You can make yours too https://www.facebook.com/lookback/
Tuesday, 4 February 2014
Every year on the 4th of Feb, Sri Lankan's celebrate a 'supposed' Independence Day. It's nothing much really, just one more public holiday in the Lankan calendar (which already has about 30! - yes, Sri Lanka only has 11 months of work for the year!)
A lot of us grumble saying that we would probably be better off if the Suddha's* never left. So here's a small list of random things that came into being as a result of the British Colonisation of Sri Lanka.
(Now don't be stupid - of course this list excludes the obvious pros and cons of colonialism - stuff you learn't in school :-p)
1. CRICKET - Yes, I truly believe this was the most important thing the English gave Sri Lanka. If not for the '96 World Cup and the other achievements thereafter, Sri Lanka would be even more insignificant than it is currently. Also it's the only thing that we can kick England's (or for that matter anyone's) ass at!
2. Pants - Imagine wearing sarong to work - pretty darn chilled out noh? But well, anyone who wears a sarong to sleep-in, know why we only wear it to sleep in!
3. Full Suits - In the same breath of relief that we say point number 2 - a full suit in a country blessed with a 30 degree heat in most parts?? Why do weddings have to be such complicated affairs? Before the Brits turned up, weddings were occasions where the Bride and Groom actually enjoyed - rather than curse the entire day!
4. Electricity - The Brits wanted to build a tramcar operation. Don't be surprised, just like we haven't built a kilometer more of rail tracks, once they went, we didn't follow up on this. Still for all, this was how Sri Lanka got electricity. So don't complain too much about power cuts.
5. Christianity - ok lets just say just Christmas? Two more holidays* added to the calendar and a country with a majority not even believing in the religion, has an excuse to party!
6. An accent free English - How often do we make fun of the Indian accent? Lol.. true yarr? (sorry, cant help it) haha.. Apparently Sri Lankans speak a very pure form of English. No cockney, no geordie, no dropping the r's, southwest, midlands or anything. "We speak the 'Queen's English' son!"
7. End of the Monarch system - Well I don't need to say much, at least after so many years I think today we've managed to work around this one! ;-)
*Suddha - (Sinhala) dir.: White one. An informal term used for white people/ foreigners.
*Two more holidays - as a result of Christianity being a nationally accepted religion Christmas Day and Good Friday are Public Holidays.
A lot of us grumble saying that we would probably be better off if the Suddha's* never left. So here's a small list of random things that came into being as a result of the British Colonisation of Sri Lanka.
(Now don't be stupid - of course this list excludes the obvious pros and cons of colonialism - stuff you learn't in school :-p)
1. CRICKET - Yes, I truly believe this was the most important thing the English gave Sri Lanka. If not for the '96 World Cup and the other achievements thereafter, Sri Lanka would be even more insignificant than it is currently. Also it's the only thing that we can kick England's (or for that matter anyone's) ass at!
2. Pants - Imagine wearing sarong to work - pretty darn chilled out noh? But well, anyone who wears a sarong to sleep-in, know why we only wear it to sleep in!
3. Full Suits - In the same breath of relief that we say point number 2 - a full suit in a country blessed with a 30 degree heat in most parts?? Why do weddings have to be such complicated affairs? Before the Brits turned up, weddings were occasions where the Bride and Groom actually enjoyed - rather than curse the entire day!
 |
| Tram Cars in Colombo |
5. Christianity - ok lets just say just Christmas? Two more holidays* added to the calendar and a country with a majority not even believing in the religion, has an excuse to party!
6. An accent free English - How often do we make fun of the Indian accent? Lol.. true yarr? (sorry, cant help it) haha.. Apparently Sri Lankans speak a very pure form of English. No cockney, no geordie, no dropping the r's, southwest, midlands or anything. "We speak the 'Queen's English' son!"
7. End of the Monarch system - Well I don't need to say much, at least after so many years I think today we've managed to work around this one! ;-)
 |
| The Last King of Ceylon..? |
*Suddha - (Sinhala) dir.: White one. An informal term used for white people/ foreigners.
*Two more holidays - as a result of Christianity being a nationally accepted religion Christmas Day and Good Friday are Public Holidays.
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